1. Field of the Invention
The instant invention relates generally to automatic docking and marine vessel collision avoidance systems preferably for a marine vessel, and more particularly to a programmable automatic docking system incorporating a plurality of transducers to detect and transmit a set of distance information between the marine vessel and an external object (i.e. a dock, another marine vessel, a structure above water, or buoy for example) to enable the programmable automatic docking system to navigate the marine vessel to a final pre-selected position from the external object and maintain that position.
2. Description of the Related Prior Art
Docking operations of large marine vessels is a precision operation which may cause damage to the marine vessel and the dock when relying on the skill and judgment of an operator. Maintaining the final position of the marine vessel requires the aid of multiple ropes and fenders. Dangerous weather conditions such as wind, water currents and darkness, increase the risk associated with the docking operation.
Previous docking systems have required additional aids to assist in measuring the effects of these variables in order to provide visual aids to assist a skilled operator to manually dock the marine vessel. The docking operation requires a skilled pilot and many deck hands to assist with docking. Furthermore, the larger a marine vessel, the greater the risk that exists during docking operations thereby resulting in a greater need for the application of skill and extra deck hands.